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Peter King was born in Scotland and grew up in Switzerland and England before coming to Canada to study civil engineering at McGill University. He obtained his MBA at Western University and his doctorate from the University of Phoenix at age seventy. He spent his career as a naval officer, a public servant, a consultant to First Nations, and as a professor at the University of Hearst. For the past fifteen years he been a professor at the Beijing University of Technology. He has competed and coached in fencing, rowing, and cross-country skiing. He was also an international umpire refereeing at the world rowing championships. He has been recognized by federal, provincial, and municipal governments in Canada and by the City of Beijing in China. He has published a history of rowing, several academic papers, and is his first attempt at writing a mystery thriller while writing a second novel and rebuilding a model railway in his basement.
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The Dragon's ThreatThe dispute centers around Dejection Island, a tiny speck of land in the South China Sea. Britain owns it, China wants it, and the Americans are determined not to let China have it. Peter Holroyd lives a comfortable but lonely academic life, specializing in Ming and Qing Dynasty maritime voyages and cartography and is asked to determine if any historical evidence can be found that will allow Britain to make a smooth exit. As Holroyd begins his search for evidence, accompanied by a beautiful Chinese assistant, he soon realizes this is no idle academic exercise. The deeper he goes into the past, the more convoluted his present becomes, leading Holroyd to wonder whose future is in greater peril, the residents of Dejection Island or his own.
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"THIS NOVEL HAS A SMART, SOPHISTICATED, BRILLIANTLY CRAFTED PLOT WITH LOTS OF MOVING PARTS, PLENTY OF INTRIGUE, HIGH STAKES, AND A MYSTERY AT ITS CORE THAT ISN’T FULLY REVEALED UNTIL THE END." - Anonymous
*****
The book, though lengthy, is quite interesting. I find the author’s use of “aside” fascinating to enable his audience to access the characters' unspoken thoughts alone or to converse with other characters. His use of mind-blowing adjectives to describe the characters' physical features, objects, and places caught my attention, and I relish the writer’s use of humor in work. It made the book quite fun, captivating, and interesting
I would proudly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Shockingly, I couldn’t notice what looked like an error in the entire work. I opine that the book was perfectly edited and merits my rating. I also considered my earlier lovely comments on the book.
This book is ideal for various persons ranging from lovers of international politics to diplomats. It would also suit maritime historians, territorial dispute adjudicators, mediators, arbitrators, and other legal practitioners. onlinebookclub review.
****
"A spiralling thriller that pulls readers back through war-torn centuries of global struggle, The Dragon's Threat by Peter King is a stunning adventure through the halls of power. A bookish specialist is brought in to resolve a hot-button land dispute in the South China Sea, but soon finds himself in a dangerous cocktail of rewritten history, international power grabs, kidnapping attempts, deadly negotiations, and the double-edged sword of any contentious border. Dripping with well-researched detail, entrancing narration, and a tangled knot of hardly trustworthy characters, this whip-smart read is deliciously complex, and a true pleasure to read." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★½
*****
The book, though lengthy, is quite interesting. I find the author’s use of “aside” fascinating to enable his audience to access the characters' unspoken thoughts alone or to converse with other characters. His use of mind-blowing adjectives to describe the characters' physical features, objects, and places caught my attention, and I relish the writer’s use of humor in work. It made the book quite fun, captivating, and interesting
I would proudly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Shockingly, I couldn’t notice what looked like an error in the entire work. I opine that the book was perfectly edited and merits my rating. I also considered my earlier lovely comments on the book.
This book is ideal for various persons ranging from lovers of international politics to diplomats. It would also suit maritime historians, territorial dispute adjudicators, mediators, arbitrators, and other legal practitioners. onlinebookclub review.
****
"A spiralling thriller that pulls readers back through war-torn centuries of global struggle, The Dragon's Threat by Peter King is a stunning adventure through the halls of power. A bookish specialist is brought in to resolve a hot-button land dispute in the South China Sea, but soon finds himself in a dangerous cocktail of rewritten history, international power grabs, kidnapping attempts, deadly negotiations, and the double-edged sword of any contentious border. Dripping with well-researched detail, entrancing narration, and a tangled knot of hardly trustworthy characters, this whip-smart read is deliciously complex, and a true pleasure to read." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★½
***
Worth reading 😎
"Fast-paced, well-researched and filled with suspense! 'The Dragon's Threat' is a fascinating tale of when history and modern politics meet." Delene Oosthuizen Reedsy Discovery
Worth reading 😎
"Fast-paced, well-researched and filled with suspense! 'The Dragon's Threat' is a fascinating tale of when history and modern politics meet." Delene Oosthuizen Reedsy Discovery
Peter king has written an intellectually invigorating mystery novel that is a must read for anyone looking for a captivating mystery that is steeped in history. The author blends history, mystery and action in a unique way that feels authentic and fascinating. This was a book that was hard for me put down because I was always wondering what Peter was going to find next.
Peter’s character is well developed and he is fun to follow. He is an intelligent but lonely person and the author is able to convey his emotions so well that I found myself easily empathizing with him. I felt his loneliness and that was because of the sharp writing and the surprising focus on the emotional aspects of the story.
I enjoyed the mix of political and historical aspects in the story. This novel feels like a blend of Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne novels and Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon’s series. With vivid details throughout the story readers will be immersed in this intriguing world and feel like they are right alongside Peter as he travels. The story progresses at a steady pace, but once we get past Peter landing in China the tension and drama really pick up.
The Dragon’s Threat is one book that I highly recommend to readers who are looking for an entertaining read that is filled with mystery, action and history.
Literary Titan ****
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GOLD AMONG THE TREEs
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Art and a Century of Canadian Rowing
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Reviews
A beautifully produced book that says a lot about Canada and rowing.
Christopher Dodd, The Guardian A beautifully produced book that will be a fine addition to any library John Ferries, the Oarsman USRA A book with fine colour reproductions and with an impressive record of rowing records which make the book indispensable for any serious rowing fan or sports historian The Champion |
